Don't Rock the Cradle Symposium

Books in Exhibitions—Mounts, Materials, and Economy

The Folger Shakespeare Library's Werner Gundersheimer Conservation Department organized a three-day symposium on books in exhibitions focusing on book cradles and book supports. The symposium was held in the Folger's historic theater.

This symposium was offered in collaboration with Hanka Gerhold, paper conservator at the “Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz,” Germany and Michaela Brand, book conservator at the “Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum,” Berlin, Germany, following up on their successful symposium on this topic “In die Wiege gelegt” held in Berlin in 2013. As that symposium was offered in German only, this symposium was a unique opportunity to discuss books in exhibitions and their supports.

The symposium participants discussed the various types of available book cradles and book supports, both generic and custom-made, as well as the wide variety of techniques employed by different institutions to custom-build them.

The main issues discussed in this symposium were:

How to safely display an opened book

What angle of presentation is the best compromise between exhibition and preservation

What types of supports or designs are available to display a book

Is the cradle intended to be a purely structural support or is it part of the visual design of the case and exhibition

What materials are safe, cost effective, and sustainable

Colleagues were invited to share the designs of their book cradles and supports by sending in a sample which was on view for all participants. The Market Place, a temporary space set up across the street for casual conversations, lunches, breaks, and professional exchanges, contained a wide variety of cradles contributed by Hanka Gerhold, presenters, attendees, and various institutions across the country; these were available for inspection and inspiration for the duration of the symposium.